I haven't mustered up the courage to try wearing colored eyeliner, or wedge sneakers, or leather pants, or head wraps, or anything else trendy in blog world.

I feel disconnected from our church back home. Our church family was really supportive of our move in the beginning, but 2 years later...it's like out of sight, out of mind. Same with a few select friends. Very disheartening. Expat life is good at revealing who your tried-and-true friends are. It's also good at making you work hard to keep the relationships you treasure alive. Some days I feel like I work harder than others.

I've always wanted to eat an entire bag of chips in one sitting, but the overwhelming guilt I'd feel afterwards always stops me.

Everyone seems to think that camel "Hump Day" commercial is the funniest thing ever. I, on the other hand, don't find it funny at all.

If I could have a dream home, it would the fictitious home Meryl Streep owned in the movie "It's Complicated."

All of this political nonsense going on in America right now makes me terrified of someday bringing children into this world. And this new development? Sickens me.

We're hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. Our families won't be in attendance, but our adoptive military family will be. This will be the first year I've ever made a complete Thanksgiving dinner from scratch. Pray for me.

One time my eyes got me upgraded on a flight to Baltimore. It was just to a seat with more leg room, but heck, I'll take it.

Is everyone in the world pregnant these days? Yes? Thought so. My biological clock is ticking extra loud lately and me no likey.

We leave for our Spain, Morocco, & Portugal cruise in less than 20 days. EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!

I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I may never have a "real job" again. I used to be very afraid of that idea--not being among the working world again. Thankfully I've found other avenues of income and self-expression. Being essentially jobless has become less of a source of anxiety for me now, but I still worry about what others think of my joblessness.

42 comments:

I once ate an entire bag of ranch doritos, (not the super size ones thankfully) and felt sick for two days. I don't recommend it. And good luck with cooking Thanksgiving dinner! I do it every year here too with friends, and once you get it down, it's a lot easier than you think. Just make sure you leave plenty of time to defrost your turkey if you get a frozen one (which I suggest they are about half the price). And slather a whole bunch of butter under the skin, turns out perfect.

So excited that your cruise is coming up so soon! I have a hunch that it's going to be amazing and give me all sorts of wanderlust. If I could have plastic surgery I'd have lipo on my thighs and arms and also have my chin elongated (if that even exists) so that my face would oval instead of round. ha! We also have our little body image quirks... part of being a girl :) xxx

That hump day commercial? I couldn't even watch all of it. The most stupid commercial I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure my face was one thin flat line. You're right about the pregnant thing! I feel like everyone and their mother is pregnant right now! There is no possible way I could deal with that. I'd be a horrible mom. And I'm with ya on the blogging style. I just dont...get it. Maybe I'm too much of a plain jane! Last but not least...so that means your birthday is the 16th? ;)

Love this coffee talk, Casey! Oh, I also get the feeling that everyone around me is getting pregnant and my biological clock is ticking as well ... 18 days to turn 29 and not sure if it's about time. I'm currently looking for a real job but it's not easy and a couple of rejection mails a day can be worse for my confidence that unemployment. And I totally agree with you about blogging rules, don't know who ever made them and don't know why everyone should follow them. I'm happy blogging whatever I feel like whenever I feel like!Have a great day! xoxo Irene

First of all, I am very impressed with your wine and beer collection, and I think if we ever hung out in "real life" many of those wine bottles would be polished off ;)

And I can TOTALLY relate to you on the whole "IS EVERYONE PREGNANT?" statement. Seriously. Logically, this is something I know I'm not ready for, but I think Sebastian is getting worried at the fact that I'm all "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT ADORABLE BABY?! LOOK AT THIS INSTAGRAM PHOTO!" Hahaha, I can't help myself.

Cake and vanilla scented candles are my absolute favorite! And Thanksgiving dinner is a lot of work, but it's not that bad - I do a lot of prep the day before and I make all my baked goods beforehand too. Also, just enjoy the fact that you're getting to experience so much of the world. That's something a lot of people don't get to do. When you bring kids into the picture, it really does change everything and traveling anywhere, even just an hour away, becomes so much more difficult.

I'm turning 29 in 18 days (how spooky, Irene!!) and I can't hear your biological clock ticking over the sound of my own, and I'm soooo not ready for children yet! Good job that my hubby isn't either :) As usual, a fantastic post, Casey xx

When I start eating a back of chips, I really can't stop and I definitely will eat the whole thing in one sitting! So, the only solution for me is to only buy chips very rarely... otherwise, my self-control falters! ;) 3 days without eating and sleeping sounds intensly terrifying - you need to tell us more about that! :)

I sometimes have this overwhelming anxiety about not working. It's all the what ifs that roam around in my mind making me worry about the future itself and the future me. But other days I have total peace with it. Conundrum isn't it? But definitely don't worry about what others think of it. I'd be willing to bet you've seen more, done more and had more life changing experiences than anyone who gets judgy about whether or not you are employed outside of the home! :-)

I'd love to have coffee with you - this run-down is hysterical! OMG with the babies - I am so excited for people, my biological clock is so loud you can probably hear it in Germany. And yet, still not ready.

Haha I'm always up for coffee...and nonsense talking! Girl, if I can hear yours, you can surly hear mine. We're not quite ready yet either...but then again, is there ever a perfect time? Conundrum of my life.

I've been worrying about jobs lately. The countdown is on-- 67 days until graduation. What makes it extra complicated is I'm a Criminal Justice major but want to work outside of my field (most jobs in my field would require me to delete my blog... no way Jose!) I'm up against people who actually have the degree that employers are looking for.

The DMV is probably one of my least favorite places, I refuse to go alone and sometimes not at all. Cookies for you mailman! Awesome! Also, I'm on month 7 of no "real" job... It's been awesome, weird, and hard all at the same time.

I absolutely love the home from Its complicated. One of my favourites. I have been thinking a ton about jobs lately. Although I am happy to have one again, its not what I want to do at all. Whatever makes you happy you should do. Who cares what other people think.

I love this little list :) And now I wan't to see, 'It's Complicated' - gorgeous houses make me smile. A lot. And I feel like I would like not having a normal job...? It sounds refreshing to do something different!

First of all, I am jealous of all that wine and beer to ship home that will remind you of great places.

Secondly, I 100% agree about the successful blogging posts. Every time I read one, I almost want to quit reading the blog that wrote it (almost) because they always say that they hate things that I love. I think that everyone can do what they want, and if everyone followed their post, the blog world would be BORING.

* Vanilla candles give me a wicked headache. I cannot stand them.* Count me in on the developing saggy chin removal! Maybe we can get a two-for-one deal?* I make Christmas treats for my postman here in France every year. I'm pretty sure the thinks I'm crazy because they don't really do that here. * The Hump Day commercial - so not funny.* Last year I cooked Thanksgiving for the first time. It almost killed me but was so worth it, I'm doing it again this year. YOU CAN DO IT! :)

You can do the Thanksgiving dinner and have fun with it :)! I do it almost every year, and I love it!

I am having skin removal surgery hopefully within the next year to year & a half, I've lost over 300 lbs and need to lose about 75 more before I do it! I am so excited and scared at the same time, the doctor who I've consulted with was amazing though!

That hump day commercial makes me want to pull my hair out! What makes me even more annoyed is the fact that there are grown people walking around quoting it ALL THE TIME!

I am a new follower but I am LOVING your blog! Sending you lots of good thoughts and prayers from Baltimore this morning!

I know I don't comment but I actually keep up with your blog pretty regularly. :) So maybe friends do keep up and they're just the silent behind the scenes type?? 1.It's so hard to not think about being pregnant when you aren't. I remember being so consumed and badgering Bruce almost every day. Just wait, you'll step food on American soil (when you pcs back) and be pregnant in the blink of an eye. And the world you know will forever change. It's a pretty crazy phenomenon. Turn down the ticking a little so it doesn't make you crazy in the next 8 months. 2. Um there are blog rules?? Must be why I don't get readers, lol! I love reading about all the places you guys get to travel and seeing them through your eyes. Makes me hope that one day the AF will bless us with the opportunity to live over seas. Sorry this is so jumbled up. Lastly. I definitely understand the whole job debacle. It's so hard to leave jobs and try to pick up where you left off every time you move. Each state has their own rules, interviews and hiring processes are for the birds. Your blog is portable and you don't have to worry about starting over or any of that. It can just continue to grow into greatness and connect you with awesome people that share similar interests.

Thanks, Lauren! Oh and girl, I don't really want to be pregnant in the blink of an eye! There's still a few things we'd like to do before adding on to our family happens...even if we are back stateside again. I'm not quite ready for little ones yet, but my ticking clock likes to tell me otherwise sometimes!

Haha yep...total brain dump. Those are my favorite kinds of posts these days! So glad to know I'm not the only one bombarded with those baby announcements. I'm excited for them all, but my uterus is crying. ;)

I appreciate your feedback, friends! I read every comment and try my hardest to respond to each one, but if your email address isn't attached to your blogger profile, you might find my response in the comment thread instead. As always, thanks for reading!

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